Overview

• Crosby told reporters, “This is where I want to be. I love it here,” as he enters his 21st NHL season in Pittsburgh.
• The latest round of speculation followed agent Pat Brisson noting it was “always a possibility” Crosby could play elsewhere depending on how the team fares.
• He pushed back on suggestions of intentional losing, saying, “You play to win,” and calling tanking “not the game I know.”
• Pittsburgh has missed the playoffs three straight seasons and has not won a series since 2018, sharpening outside questions about the franchise’s direction.
• NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has suggested that, if the Penguins struggle, any trade discussion would be Crosby’s call and more plausible after the Olympics.